ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Orioles first baseman Chris Davis, who is currently on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique muscle, could potentially begin a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment Saturday at one of the club's nearby affiliates.

After the Orioles' 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night, manager Buck Showalter said Davis is scheduled to participate in pregame batting practice on the field before Friday’s series opener against the Houston Astros at Camden Yards.

"He's going to take regular BP tomorrow on the field off a coach, and if that goes well, and he comes in Saturday feeling good, we could potentially do that,” Showalter said of sending Davis on a rehab assignment. "That's what we're thinking.

“But he's got a lot of roads to cross before that happens. That would be the earliest. ... That's an option if things go real well tomorrow. Right now, it looks like we're going to get rained out of BP."

The team will likely keep Davis close to Baltimore. Double-A Bowie and High-A Frederick are both at home Saturday.

Davis is eligible to come off the disabled list Sunday, but it is believed he will need at least two or three rehab games before being ready to return.